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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:13:22 GMT
Cab door done except I had no window winders... Cab area more done than it looks... Cab seats including the swivel one are in... Ply panels as they're easy... With a half one at the back - good enough for westfalia... ...and more of the lino on ply in the rear... The mouse hole is an idea I've shamelessly copied from sANDYbAY it's a stash for long things - windbreaks, kites, poles or whatever. Anything up to 6'4" and the rear hatch will still shut.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:15:34 GMT
The roof woodwork is nearly there. The ply wouldn't bend so had to be done in 2 halves... Headbanger locker constructed and fitted, door also made but waiting for hinges that will allow it to open without ripping off the hinges... Pop-top opening lined and lights fitted along each side. Got them working yesterday.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:17:19 GMT
Time to do something about this ... Anyone who's done this knows the score - remove layers of oil soaked underseal etc etc and where you're lucky, just oil. Treat the rust, seam seal, a dash of primer then top coat. I brush painted 2-pack with a lot less hardener to keep it thick. I ran out of the Velvet green. I think it looks pretty. The engine bay is a bit of a mess really but everything being the same colour certainly helps.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:18:50 GMT
I got some 3/4 rock and roll hinges to make a bed. I have the Devon one but it's a bit heavy duty and could do with the remains of the plastic coating removing and refinishing. I've converted the hinges to mirror image so they fit my furniture/wheel arch. Not fitted yet, I'm waiting for wood delivery. While I was waiting for the bed ply that didn't arrive I fitted the Eber ducting which is more tricky than last time - if I go over the wheel tub it comes out too high for the bed, so had to route it through the fuel tank area so it comes out here. I quickly knocked up the joiny thing so I can push hose on each side. And bolted the Eber in place as far forward as it would fit. Then I cleaned up and fitted the roof tin jobbies and firewall that's no longer a firewall. CBA to paint them.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:21:54 GMT
Interiors of a flat pack pre-made variety... hmm. They are what they are and one thing they are is ready made and convenient - this is good. But some are a bit poor really. I can see why - materials, overheads, wages, pricing, doesn't leave a lot of time to actually make the things. So they are what they are. I got mine in good condition second hand and the price was still not cheap, but it was blummin convenient and at the time I foolishly thought I'd be on the road more quickly with this head start. Here's a view in the back of the wider part of mine, under the sink and cooker. Ignore the temporary plumbing but look at the wasted space around the tiny cheap cutlery drawer. More on that later. Front of the same bit... the doors are planted on the front with smaller openings behind - A quick way of doing things that doesn't take time adjusting doors to a nice fit. It works. ...and the back view of the thinner bit next to the bed. Here's a view on the end of the thinner bit that ends butted up against a rear locker. The depth of the cupboards wastes a lot of space. I moved this end of the partition across to make the cupboard even less deep at this end, then extended the shelf part backwards to meet the van. After cutting mouse holes in the rear cupboard I have a place to put long thin things that tend to clutter the van.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:25:59 GMT
After consideration I went for the favourite CR50 12v compressor fridge and what looked like a rip-off flimsy surround on the pics. Eat my words, the surround is well made and heavy duty, fits a treat and looks great, I'm glad I went for it! The fridge looks good too. That's one of the big cupboards filled up. I had to remove and remake the front to fit it. But what about the other cupboard and that teeny plastic cutlery drawer? Drawer offended me with it's wasted opportunity and I know from experience that accessing low level camper cupboards is awkward. Too birds in one stone I thought - get a big double-decker pull out wire drawer. After calculating I realised I could fit in one for a 300mm unit and waste some space and have 250mm wide wire baskets (stick with it lol) or adjust the unit wider at the bottom and use the end to make a new matching door front for the drawer. I have some tidying to do where the base unit gets longer but 100mm wider drawers. The downside is I expanded the cupboard into the space that would have been perfect for storing the table so I'll have to find somewhere else for that. I made an all round carcass for the drawer mainly from the scraps of 18mm birch ply from the bed to mount the drawer slides (soft close)and keep the contents in order and protect the fridge. I made the table from another piece of the same.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:27:36 GMT
I've worked out what I can do to improve access into the rear cupboards, but there isn't time to do it today. I'd like to extend the lower cupboard opening downwards, it's a pain getting stuff in and out like it is, but I don't seem to have enough board from other doors to do that and the top ones. :thinking: The feint red squares (which were bright red before I converted to jpg) are the new openings/flush doors, dotted lines are hidden detail. The lower door will open fully if I hinge it on the left - the wonders of computer aided design.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:30:32 GMT
I've managed to turn small face fitted doors over even smaller holes both with 60mm radius on every corner into much bigger square flush fitted ones. The top part of the panel to the left of the doors had big holes for a control panel, 240 and 12V sockets among other things. I turned it round and upside down as planned. All possible due to the fridge fitting where the biggest door was which was no longer needed starting a chain enabling me to make each one in turn bigger using it's door for the next. One more to do at the back, fingers crossed. I've test painted a scrap peice of the hole framing silver to tie in with the rest, if it works I'll paint it all. Comfy foan arrived today as well.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:32:04 GMT
One thing I wanted to avoid, which has partly slowed me down as I tried to come up with an accessable alternative - mains under the rock and roll bed. Well I failed here. I did have a half plan to put all the electrics over the other side of the van, but it wasn't a very good plan, so under the bed they went. After all the switched socket palava earlier, I found a nice new unswitched metal double socket I've had for at least 20 years since I put a ring main in the cellar in the last house and used that. I knew it would be useful eventually. :cool: I don't much care that it's a bit bulky as it's hidden from view. This is also a good place for it as all the 240V apart from the charger is within a square foot - no twin and earth tacked to the floor etc - I don't like to see that. The charger mains cable follows the eber ducting past the tank into the engine bay. I like a result by the end of the day - more than just knowing I had some more wires fitted. I wanted the charger fitted to supply the battery to supply the fridge. I wanted the battery fitted properly where it looked like it would be a squeeze. I wanted to know how I will route the eber exhaust past the battery. I wanted the hook up fitted to plug the charger into - the domino effect! After all this my milk won't go off so quickly. While the furniture was out of the way I had a look/measure up in the engine bay spare wheel well/leisure battery area. I wanted to jam the charger in here after seeing [USER=6929] theBusmonkey[/USER] 's installation - one more thing not inside the bus. Here's the view from the top without the lid. I'll add here that IMO it's easier all round to leave the top inch or two if the wheel well. This will save some "redecorating", leave strength in the shelf and provide something to hang stuff on. But I could have fitted the eber slightly higher and after a measure up of the battery, my battery stand and all I moved it up as high as it would go to get everything further from the battery +ve. Then made, painted and fitted a bodgy bracket to hang the charger on, wangled the battery and stand into a place clear of the rear lights where there's a little more room for it and also that left room behind for the eber inlet and exhaust to pass through the battery tray. All wired up, furniture and bed back in, finally at 3.30am I plugged in the hook-up using this thing and bugger me everything works! I have cold milk.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:34:03 GMT
After making the rear cupboard access hole square, I just squeezed a square door to fit out of the old one. The lock clashed with the internal shelf, but by cutting a little more from one side than the other the handle ended up the right distance from the edge, or I wouldn't have been able to do it. Lucky! And the one switch you see on the cupboard is all that left of the panel in my hand which also had a bulky plastic surround. Now I have room for a vent panel for the fridge and the eber control (which looks out of place wherever I hold it up). Silver door framing and door refitted too, it looks better with the fridge and cooker/sink than the light wood when I've had a tidy I'll post a pic of the whole lot.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:34:57 GMT
So, here's a shot of the whole lot. I got a few blankets and rugs out to see what different colours looks like - crap! Not an idea what material to cover the bed with and curtains, I've drifted into mish-mash colour-wise. But [USER=377] sANDYbAY[/USER] and Mrs Sandybay popped round for a visit and bought some inoffensive everything proof white formica for my table. They've gone camping but after they left I covered both sides of the table. The photo makes it look like I slipped with the router, but it's perfect honest! All ready for the edge trim when it arrives and now I can put stuff on it without worrying.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:35:42 GMT
I started on the servo upgrade today. Drained the reseroirs by taking the brake light switch out, then removed the non-servo master cylinder. Welded on the new servo bracket, fitted the servo, master cylinder and reservoir and connected up the brake pipes which just bent into place - easy. I've also made a push rod from an old non-servo push rod, an engine lift handle and a big cut off bolt. But as the brake pedal return spring is broken I haven't fitted it yet as I'd only have to take it back off again. Replacement arrives tomorrow along with a load of rear brake parts. The pipe between reservoirs is now too short as is the wiring to the switch. I'll sort those tomorrow and fit some vacuum pipe. I wouldn't have a bus without a servo - a couple of hundred quid tops and a long day would do it. Or two lazy days.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:37:00 GMT
More servo stuff... I normally just buy a push rod, but they'e an inch too short and out of stock when I asked so I made one Old push rod as shown, heavy gauge tube, cut off bolt (M16x1.5 I think) and nut sliced in half. Total cost about £3.50. Fitted along with the new return spring, all cleaned up greased where it matters. The reservoir pipe and vacuum pipes are fitted, I went across the van at the front so I could lessen the bend to the fitting on the servo. More light switches than Blackpool illuminations! Down the van haphazzard (the draping one is multicore wire for gauges, not tied up yet) - I could have done it neatly by drilling more holes in the chassis for clips but my tennis elbow doesn't like it and already drilled 4 x 25mm holes through crossmembers and ... ...into the engine compartment. Grommets all the way.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:38:23 GMT
One to take 12mm ID pipe. To be fair the pipe size must be based on the fittings restrictions - the fittings are bound to be smaller. I have a 1/4" BSP tap so I get fitting for that thread with the biggest hole through I can get (I think 10mm from memory) and 12mm barb. Not sure how you would specify that, I just say that to the blokey at the hydraulic hose place. Not a great pic but here's the last one.
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Post by Zed on Nov 21, 2016 16:39:23 GMT
Not a lot to show today, but I replaced this lot - back plates, drums and wheel cylinders with new. And fitted some shocks which I'd pinched for the early at some point. Judging from the state of the rears, I'd better go over the fronts as well before I fill it all back up with fluid.
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